Multilingual approach

Multilingualism – fundamental for Romance studies and for apropos 

Multilingualism is a matter of natural course in Romance Studies, but above all it is an important prerequisite for the interdisciplinary dialogue that apropos [Perspektiven auf die Romania] aims at. However, the journal does not wish to regard linguistic diversity as a Babel-like confusion of languages, but rather as an enrichment within Romance Studies, but also in its inter- and transdisciplines.

Although Romance Studies, as comparative cultural studies, are historically located in the German-speaking scientific world and have often published in German, the multilingualism of apropos [Perspektiven auf die Romania] – even within a single issue – not only aims to portray the Romance language speaking world linguistically, but also to give authors from these areas the opportunity to express themselves in their respective 'mother tongue' on (inter-)national topics. We therefore welcome dossier and article proposals from the Romance language speaking world in Romance languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Portuguese, ...). The form of online publication also offers the possibility of translating selected articles and making them available in two or more languages.

Not only to guarantee the understandability and visibility of our articles beyond the Romance language speaking world, but also with the aim of encouraging the dialogue between German and English Romance Studies, our articles include an abstract in the language of the article and an additional one in English; articles can also be published in English with an additional abstract in a Romance language that is thematically related to the article topic. 

Multilingual appearance of apropos

  • In order to guarantee visibility in the Romance speaking world as well as on a general international scale, the user interface of our website is currently available in German, French, Spanish and English. The language can be selected at the top left of the website.

  • Users can also set the display language (currently German, French, Spanish or English) for the backend of the Open Journal System, where registered authors upload their articles for submission and publication. This means that authors can submit a contribution to apropos without encountering language barriers.

  • Languages of publication are all Romance languages, German and English.

  • Special issue and miscellaneous papers, student contributions in the Premiers Travaux section, contributions to the Workshop section as well as essays must include a summary in the language of the contribution and in English. Summaries in further languages are welcome.

  • All contributions will be accompanied by a biographical note in the language of the contribution and in English. Biographical notes in other languages are welcome.

  • Issues of apropos (including special issues) may contain contributions in different languages.

  • apropos offers the option of publishing entire special issues or individual articles in two or more languages (original language of the article and translation into one or more other publication languages, stating the name of the translator) (see, for example, issue 2 (2019) on 'Rugby culture in the Romance speaking countries'). Translations of articles receive their own DOI in order to increase their visibility.